What happens now? Installment 1
by abourbonandpearls
Summary: Event's leading up to the Halloween Ghost Train (episode 3X12)


**This series will take place starting the night of "The Lady Killer" leading up to "It's a Dark Ride" If I get a good response I will write more. **

All she could do was stand there for support, a clutch for Hanna to hang on to. She watched in horror as the tears rolled down Hanna's porcelain cheeks. Spencer had never seen her this broken before. For the first time Spencer felt utterly helpless. They had a year from hell; torment after torment rocked their everyday lives. Spencer would never have imagined something so unrelated to -A would have such an impact. _"What if this was Toby.._." kept racing through her mind. _"It's not though, he is far away, he is safe."_ She looked over at Aria who just stared at Emily across the yellow police tape. _"She is so lucky, the worse to ever happen to Ezra was getting fired. She has never had a real threat." _Spencer returned her gaze to Hanna, whose cheeks were painted black from her mascara. Dirt, blood and revenge would be how they would come to remember this night, Spencer was convinced of it. She felt another shake ripple through Hanna as the ambulance doors finally closed on Caleb and the sounds of the siren carried him through the night...

**_4 hours later_**

Four hours, 2 cups of coffee and a scalding shower later Spencer finally closed the door to her bedroom. Exhaustion picked at every bone in her body as she moved slowly to her bed._ I owe you one_...creeped through her mind as she replayed the eerie voice in her head. It must be a Hasting's dilemma, to have to know every detail, every mechanism that ticks because even when she wanted nothing more that to forget this evening and go back to this morning of Toby's loving embrace she couldn't stop processing -A's message. _He, she, it, them, they, owed us one, but for what?_ Pulling at her hair Spencer let out a muffled sob into her pillow. _When will this ever end?_ The muffled sounds of a police car reminded her of Garrett, his sly smile that he gave as he left the hospital._ He is tied to this, in some form, some fashion Garrett knows and Melissa will have to find another excuse to see him now that her baby is gone._ Spencer sat up abruptly. _Melissa._ Spencer needed to know when she would be back in Rosewood. Though she hated the thought of her sister being involved in her best friends death, she could not deny the use Melissa could give her. Spencer could use Melissa's relationship with Garrett, without her knowing, to gain leverage over Garrett. This was something though, that would take more time and effort than what she was able to put forth now. There was only one thing that seemed appealing at the moment and that was day dreaming of college, _oh how it seems forever away_. Spencer realized she just needed a break, to get out of this town, away from everything, from everyone..._With an exception for Toby_... but most of all, away from -A.

_ I should call Toby...tell him what happened_..Spencer gazed at her bedside table where a picture of them resided. Toby held her close as they both smiled at the camera. It was taken a week after Mona went to Radley. In that moment she had never felt so free, so liberated. For the first time in over a year Spencer had felt safe. She snorted at the thought _safe, that didn't last very long, _but Spencer couldn't help but smile at the memory before letting out a soft sigh and reaching for her phone. She picked at her covers as her cell rang._ Ring, ring, ring._.._Why isn't he picking up? ring_, BEEP.

"This is Toby, couldn't make it to the phone. You know what to do, leave your message at the-"BEEP!

"Hey...it's me... I, Em..Han..look it's been a really, bad night, and I just wanted to know you was okay." she paused for a moment to swallow back another sob, "Will you just call me, please? I just wanted to tell you-" BEEP. Spencer dropped her phone on her bed. Just like with almost everything in her life, her message was cut off at the wrong time.


End file.
